LAHORE: The Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) Lahore will soon start the work on its fourth underground rainwater storage tank at Qaddafi Stadium at the cost of Rs 638.657 million; it will be the biggest storage tank in the city with a capacity of holding 4 million gallons of rainwater.
WASA Lahore Vice Chairman Sheikh Imtiaz Board told Business Recorder here on Saturday that of the total 15 storage tanks planned for the provincial capital, the one at Qaddafi Stadium will be biggest in terms of capacity and its PC-1 is already approved.
However, the sources disclosed that the project is facing delays due to administrative glitches. “In order to start the construction of these storage tanks, the WASA needs no objection certificates from certain departments which it is still waiting for. Moreover, the Punjab Sports Board had committed to meet 60 percent of its cost and the WASA was still waiting for that money to be released. Once all the glitches are addressed, the construction will start,” they added.
Meanwhile, talking about the Qaddafi Stadium storage tank, Sheikh said that it has a unique feature that other tanks do not have; it will be connected to the Lahore Canal and thus when it is filled to its capacity, the surplus water will be drained into the canal. “This unique feature will conserve precious resources,” he added. The WASA has already completed underground rainwater storage at Lawrence Road and it is operational while the work on the other two at Kashmir Road and Sheranwala Gate, at a cost of Rs 199.2 million and Rs 197.61 million, respectively, is in progress.
“Eighty percent of work on Kashmir Road tank is completed; after its completion, it will have the capacity to store 1.5 million gallons of rainwater. The work on the Sheranwala tank is also in progress and 50 percent of the work is completed, which will have 1.5 million gallons capacity,” the WASA Lahore Chairman said. He disclosed that 11 more underground rainwater storage tanks are in the pipeline that will be constructed by the end of next year; “it will resolve the issue of water pounding in the city”.
Eleven sites identified for the construction of these storages include Tajpura, Karim Park on Ravi Road, Railway Station, Waris Road, Copper Road, Rasool Park and Fruit and Vegetable Market in Allama Iqbal Town with a storage capacity ranging between 1.5 million gallons and 1.8 million gallons. Each water reservoir will cost Rs 540.717 million, Rs 282.811 million, Rs 299.5 million, Rs 247.173 million and Rs 230.381 million, respectively.
According to him, while designing these storages it is ensured that it fulfils three aims: drain out rainwater from streets and thus ensuring smooth traffic flow, store rainwater for recharging of underground water and use the stored water for horticulture purposes and thus lessening the burden on the underground water. “We are very much optimistic that in the coming years we will be able to resolve the issue of urban flooding during the rainy sessions as well as conserve water for household use,” Sheikh averred.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022